Vintage family wedding photos

 I'd really like to set up a table of old wedding photos of our parents and grandparents somewhere in the attached barn at the winery.
My grandparents on both sides were so excited about the prospect of my wedding and I think it's only right to honor them in some way. First up, my only living grandparent: Nonna Enza.
Wasn't she beautiful?

After they were married in Calabria, my grandparents honeymooned in Venice and Florence for a week before my grandfather had to leave for America. My grandmother joined him several months later, desperately counting down the days until she'd see him again. Throughout their time apart, he sent her a love letter a week. She kept them all, stored them away and won't let anyone see them to this day. I'm really curious, but I kind of like that she won't let me.

This woman who, throughout her 80 years has not been known to keep anything to herself, is holding on to this one box of secrets between her and the love of her life. It's just theirs, and she wants to keep it that way. 

But the wedding photos were always a source of contention. 

Just for some background, my grandfather was a partisan in World War II. He fought against Mussolini's army, hiding in the Appenines of Emiglia-Romagna. He escaped a concentration camp and there were flyers across the south seeking his capture. He was amazing. But he deserves his own post, or novel, or documentary, really. 

My grandparents were wed around the same time as Nonna Enza's older sister, whose wedding photos turned out beautifully. Naturally, Nonna Enza wanted to use the same photographer. 

Nonno Gianni refused. The photographer was a fascist, he said. 

But who cares what his political leanings are? He's really good, said Nonna Enza. 

I can't hire a fascist to take my wedding photos - end of story, said Nonno Gianni. 

And so my grandfather hired an old socialist, anti-Mussolini friend to take his pictures. 

Not one came out. No memories from their wedding day, and not one photo of my grandparents together in her gown and his suit, because Nonno Gianni was already gone by the time the photographer shared the sad news. 

Shortly thereafter, my grandmother's youngest sister was ready to receive her first Holy Communion. Being that her family didn't have much money at the time, she offered up her wedding dress, to be cut short and turned into a communion dress. 

Luckily, she took the photo above alone in a small vineyard behind her house a month after the wedding.

P.S. Three days left to enter my giveaway! 

slow reads

A few years ago, after periodic late-night discussions about various books, my friend Lavanya and I tried to organize a book club at her Brooklyn apartment. It would be awesome. We'd make food and serve cocktails and bring together a small group of like-minded people from different circles to discuss a book a month.
Due to scheduling conflicts and sheer laziness, the club never got off the ground and we still lament about how we're those girls who come up with cool ideas and never follow through. I hate those girls.
I haven't given up hope, but in the meantime, I thought it totally made sense to join The Slow Reader's Book Club. I love reading, I need to set aside more time for it, and so, I can't pass up the chance to be a part of a larger community of people captivated by the same story. Besides, you know how I feel about taking things slow. The timeline fits into my schedule perfectly too, since I'm one of those people who have a few books (usually a novel and a compilation of short stories) going at the same time.
If you're interested, visit Diana's beautiful blog, Our City Lights, and send her an email. She started the club in January, so they're on to their second selection, Alice I Have Been, by Melanie Johnson.

...on tulips and rhubarb

My Polaroid Blog

We bought plants last weekend for the first time ever, because there is a back porch that gets lots of sun. As it gets warmer, we'll buy even more, so our porch will look like a greenhouse.
But I'm nervous, because I tend to kill things.
I'm especially nervous because I don't want one of those "things" to be my cat, so we printed out a long list of plants toxic to cats, but it's extremely long and I find most of them unidentifiable because they are in Latin. Damn you, binomial nomenclature!
The other night, my friend Brooke told me tulips are bad. Nooooo! I love tulips and fantasized about buying bunches and placing them in old wine bottles all around the house. Oh well, I'll have to do some more flower research.
Incidentally, the night our friends Brooke and Rich came over, I made a kick-ass rhubarb crisp, if I may say so myself. While this pretty red celery-looking fruit/veggie is in season, I'm going to make it in a whole bunch of different ways. I love rhubarb.
I was too tipsy to take out my camera that night, but honestly, it looked exactly like this:

Lara Robby

I stole from a bunch of different recipes and put it together based on what I had on hand. I used strawberries for that tart-sweet combination, but if you love that tart flavor, you can skip the berries.

• 2 lbs rhubarb, cut into 1 inch pieces
• a pint of strawberries (or more, or less, or none...it doesn't really matter)
• 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp vanilla extract or orange extract or Grand Marnier Liquor (all these are optional; I used vanilla)
• 1 stick salted butter (if using unsalted, add a 1/2 tsp salt to the recipe)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a baking dish. Mix rhubarb, strawberries, cinnamon, vanilla, 1/3 cup of the flour and granulated sugar (I used sugar in the raw) in the dish.
Combine remaining flour, brown sugar, butter (cut in pieces) and salt (if using) and mix together with your hands until it forms a crumbly mixture.
Sprinkle over rhubarb-strawberry mixture and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until it starts bubbling and turns golden brown. I served it with vanilla bean ice cream. Yum.

Have a good weekend! I have a dress fitting (yikes) and a baby shower for one of my best friends. (yay!)
Don't forget to enter my Domino Book giveaway!

yay.

Remember these shoes? They arrived today.

Love.

Giveaway!

Yay! It's giveaway time. This month's giveaway is the Domino Book of Decorating. If the magazine is dead, (I'm still upset about it) at least we have this beautiful compilation to remember it. It also has some awesome home decorating tips.

Oh, Domino, how I miss you.

So here are the rules: 

*Become a follower of this blog, and leave a comment letting me know.
*Extra entry - mention this giveaway in a blog post or tweet with a link back, and leave another comment telling me so.
*Extra entry - I'd like to know what your favorite magazine is, just because I'm interested.
*Entries will close at midnight Thursday, April. 1, and a winner will be selected at random (random.org) and announced Friday, April 2nd.
(If you don't have a blog, leave an email address, so I know how to contact you.)

Good luck!

Invitation hell

I'm having an invitation crisis as a result of my poor time management skills, and many of the print shops and design studios I've called in the last few days need a 6-8 week turnaround. My bad. My wedding is on May 29th, and my mom really wanted to get those invites out two months in advance. It's not going to happen.
Anyway, I need to decide, like yesterday, what to do. In addition to the time problem, is, of course, money.  We both agree that letterpress is cooler, and in most cases, more environmentally-friendly. My parents are insisting on paying for the invitations, but if we go with letterpress, we'll insist on chipping in, because they're effing expensive.
But now, any thoughts of custom work are out the window because of time, and I found some really pretty and simple digital invites that I like too...so I'm thinking, is letterpress even worth it at this point?
Ok, I'll stop rambling and show you what's in the running.

My current obsession is the Lucinda suite from Spark, but haven't I seen them before?

via Spark's blog

And let's not forget this ridiculously beautiful wood-grain pocketfold enclosure, which would considerably add to the price: 

flickr

And then there are these beautiful digital cards by Vohandmade on Etsy. In case you hadn't noticed, we're going with a tree/nature theme, but I still wanted them to have a modern look. I like these, but I think they'd work better with some kind of cool pocketfold enclosure. I can mount the cards myself and tuck the RSVP card and map in a pocket. Problem is, I called Paper Source and Paper Presentation and they both don't have anything to fit a 5 x 7 card. %&#@!

Vohandmade 

What do you guys think? 

i want...

via TIME

a bed-in today. 

the night my yoga teacher tried to kill me

weheartit

I took a new yoga class last night, and I think that bitch was trying to kill me.
She was like, "Which poor souls haven't taken my class before?"
That doesn't sound very yoga-like. I sheepishly raised my hand, and she goes, "Are you scared? You should be."
What the f*&%.
She started out with three Oms and some sun salutations, and then she went batshit crazy. She turned up Jay-Z, started talking really loudly like we were in a spin class and in less than ten minutes, my mat was soaking wet.
She said my booty was too far out in chair pose, and made me sit on her lap in order to understand that my sacrum should be tucked under and my heart should be open.
She kept us in high lunge and then half-moon for like, five minutes, and laughed in this creepy, sinister way when people started falling over.
She told us to cradle our right leg in our arms and place it over our shoulder, like it was no big deal.
I did so many chatturangas I'm having trouble lifting my coffee mug and bringing it to my lips.
I hate her. But I also have a crush on her, because she's kind of a badass.
My shoulders really hurt though.
Bitch.

best beet salad ever

As my friend Josee says, "There's nothing worse than food that wasn't made with love." And so, I try really hard not to cook with hatred, but sometimes I can't help it. Like, undoubtedly, when I bake, I curse like a sailor and threaten suicide while mixing flour and sugar and eggs by hand. It hurts my arm and takes way longer than it should.
Anyway, the point is, beets are messy. The avocado slipped out of my hand and went flying onto the floor, and for some reason, I got goat cheese in my hair.

But if you're not a spaz, this recipe rocks. The sweetness of the beets and dried cranberries, the bitterness of the arugala, mixed in with the creamy textures of goat cheese and avocado, and a crunchy kick from the toasted walnuts = a happy palate.

summer wardrobe

These dresses are perfect, especially once it gets oppressively hot. I can dress them up or down with cute sandals or flip-flops and wear them all summer-long. Yay, summer.

monster holes

As evidenced by the hole in my comfy cashmere sock, The Monster is back in full effect this week. In case you were worried. Why is he so obsessed with feet? Weirdo.

they got me

I was annoyed Sunday when I had to dress up and head to my parents' anniversary brunch an hour away in the pouring rain. Even worse, my boyfriend was being a jerk about having to dress up and go to my parents' anniversary brunch an hour away in the pouring rain.
Him: Since when do your parents make you all go out for their anniversary, why do we have to dress up on a Sunday morning when it's pouring outside, and why is it so far away?
Me, (totally agreeing in my head): Shut up. My Mom heard this place is really good and she rarely gets to go out with all of us together. Don't complain about my parents. You jerk.
Except it wasn't an anniversary brunch at all. It was my bridal shower. (Turns out he and everyone else - I'm talking to you, Andrea - were trying to fake me out.) A-holes.
I would've worn something cuter, had I known.
Anyway, I hate posting photos of myself, but I felt I had to share my humiliation. They made me play silly games despite the fact that they KNOW I turn bright red when everyone is staring at me.

And, and, and...they made me wear this ridiculous hat: 

But I got lots of fun presents

Including this awesome tagine pot 

And a picnic basket. I swear, we're going on picnics this summer, dammit.

Ps. My Mom's the best (Thanks, Mom)

Disclaimer: These are obviously not real Polaroids. I wish they were. I had coffee too late and couldn't sleep, so I decided to download Poladroid and f- around. See, you guys got faked out too. (Not really.)

sad monster

We named him Loki after the Norse God of trickery, but really, he is The Monster. Purring, jumping, kicking, biting, howling, yowling, all up in your business, crazy monster whose behavior is often more puppy than cat. 

He demands attention. I'll be working on my laptop, and he'll be all, "I know you're not paying more attention to the computer than you are to me. Seriously? I'm the most beautiful, majestic creature you've ever seen."

Just look at the cat, not my workspace. I told you I'm messy. Shut up. 

But yesterday was a bad day for The Monster. I rolled up to the animal hospital at 10:30 a.m. 

I waited patiently as a dog owner was scolded for giving brown rice to his ginormous Labrador. 

"Are you here for the CASTRATION?" (So harsh.)

I picked him up at 6:15. His eyes were glassy and unfocused. He had soiled himself inside his crate, but the staff hadn't noticed. 

We gave him a bath, and he was too weak to move, so he sat in the bathroom trembling for more than an hour as we attempted to blow-dry him.  

Then he vomited in the hallway and fell asleep in a corner of the kitchen under a blanket. 

Poor Monster.

This morning, he was already much better. He came into the bedroom purring and insisted on jumping up into bed. 

He saw a bird and got excited. 

He's sleepy and is dragging his hind legs, but hopefully, by the end of the weekend, The Monster will be back to his old tricks. 

shoe love

I'm on the hunt for wedding shoes, but everything I like costs millions of dollars.*
I love these from Pedro Garcia. I've been on a nude shoe kick and I think I'd wear them over and over...on special occasions, or in my apartment on Sunday mornings with pajamas.

I've been in love with these Louboutins for awhile too. Sigh.

via green wedding shoes

I also like these Kate Spade shoes, but I wish there were other color choices.

*Code for over my budget

Super 8 wedding film and woodsy themes

Remember my obsession with Super 8 mm film? Probably not, since it was my second post ever and I only got one anonymous comment. Anyway, I still want it, I still haven't figured out a way to get it without spending a million dollars. Suggestions are welcome.

But in the meantime, how awesome is this video from a wedding featured on Ruffled recently? The couple are videographers from Grow Film and they let guests shoot with their Super 8 cameras. It's true...the imperfections make it even cooler.

Sarah & Reed from Sarah Marcus on Vimeo.


I'm really digging these vintagey, woodland-themed weddings lately. Birch vases and country charm. Ruffled, you're killing me.

Look at this bride's dress and shoes:

And the cake and the owls??

back to real life

I'm back from Utah, where we were lucky enough to arrive Thursday night in the midst of a snowstorm. (I'm not being sarcastic, for once.) 

It was my first time ever snowboarding in powder out west, which is lighter and fluffier. It's like eating ice cream your whole life and then trying gelato. They're both good, but seriously - one's a little better.

We experienced that floating sensation that is probably one of the best feelings on earth. We rode for three days straight, and on the fourth day, we rested - shopping in Park City and getting massages. It sounds luxurious, but it was kind of necessary - muscles I didn't even know I had are aching right now. 

ps. The road to Snowbird is like a magical fairytale forest. 

pps. I thought I'd pay homage to Abbie (she's awesome) today by playing with text size. 

i'm still not over jordan catalano

I wish I could say I'm so over Jordan Catalano. But the truth is I came across this photo the other day, and it made me happy, and kind of nostalgic for a simpler time of curfews and flannels and landlines and burnt orange hair dye. You know, when teens were awkward and full of angst and wore baggy clothes because it was lame to make it look like they put that much effort into their outfits. Sigh.

It also made me realize I must have this t-shirt: 

Solid Threads 

Here's what Angela and Jordan look like these days:

Sogni Sorrisi 

I'm late, I'm late!

{karen whimsy}

Is anyone else excited to see Alice in Wonderland ? Does anyone love Tim Burton and Johnny Depp as much as I do?
I think the trailer looks pretty awesome.

Speaking of late, I received a beautiful blogger award from the fabulous Sogni Sorrisi - check out her blog for fashion and home design inspiration! - and it's taken me a month to say thank you. So sorry about that. I have a tardiness problem. I wish I could enroll - and so does my always-on-time boyfriend - in some kind of tardiness anonymous program, or a class for discourteous a-holes, but I don't think they exist.
Anyway, I'm supposed to list 7 things about myself, so here goes...

1. I'm a messy eater. If we're eating chicken wings, that sticky red sauce will be all over my face, hands and clothes and you'll think I'm disgusting. But I don't care. Seriously though, if we're eating corn on the cob together, you should keep your distance, unless you want corn from my mouth in your hair.
2. I lived in Rome for several months after college and traveled around Europe on the Eurorail. Sometimes I want to pick up and move back to Trastevere, working as a tour guide or a waitress to pay my bills, and eating gelato while strolling the cobblestone streets along the Tiber. I'll always look impossibly cool and I'll ride a Vespa. But Weehawken's cool too.
3. The idea of having a huge party where I'm the center of attention and everyone is watching everything I do kind of nauseates me. I've never wanted to elope; I just wish we could have taken our close family and friends to the Amalfi coast for a week. We'd have a small ceremony on a hillside and then spend the rest of the week partying. Sigh, I guess New Paltz is the next best thing. :)
4. I just finished the 21 Club - 21 days straight of yoga at a studio nearby. It was hard, especially with all the snowboarding I've been doing, and trying to fit a class everyday into my schedule was kind of insane, but it felt really good (mentally and physically) by the third week. Plus, there was a yoga party with cocktails afterwards, so you know this club is kick-ass. Ps. I cannot figure out why I don't look like a supermodel. Maybe it's all that bread and pasta and beer?
5. I think my grandmother truly believes I'm the most awesome person who ever lived. It's a totally unhealthy obsession, and I think she's kind of a nutcase, but I'm not gonna lie - it makes me feel good that she thinks I'm awesome, even when I smell bad and act like a raging bitch.
6. I hate that saying about how you should never discuss religion and politics, and therefore, people sometimes find me offensive. What's the point of living in the world if we can't talk about things that are real? Not that I can't wax poetic about shag carpets, bridesmaid dresses and platform sandals for hours. I do it on this blog. I'm getting better at it, but only because my boyfriend is ten times worse and I feel I need to tone it down, cause nobody likes that couple. Still, it's f-ed up that people don't go at it like they do in the British Parliament and then go out for beers.
7. Waking up early makes me sad. I feel sorry for people who have to wake up early everyday.

Oh, and I'm going to nominate the last 7 bloggers to comment on Swoon ...thank you so much! Your comments make my day better.

Helena - A Diary of Lovely

A Los Angeles Love

Josie-A Wink and a Smile

West Aussie Wedding

Scientific Housewife

Abbie Babble

Sunshine Cupcakes